NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 133 



look for the larva of Acronycta alnl. As beating was out of the 

 question, I had been searching the leaves for about half an hour, 

 when I was rewarded with one from birch, and soon afterwards I 

 found one upon oak, which was unfortunately ichneumoned. The 

 first one fed well, and changed to pupa on August 12th, when I 

 accommodated it with a piece of rotten wood, which it entered, 

 leaving no trace of its entrance ; and I have now the pleasure to 

 record its appearance as a splendid specimen on Ma}' 11th. — 

 D. Pratt; 898, Mile End Road, London, E., May 15, 1882. 



Catocala nupta FEEDING ON Plum. — On March 25th several 

 larvae of Catocala nupta emerged from eggs in my possession. I 

 at once offered young and tender sprigs of willow, which, as I 

 believe, is the favourite food of these larvae, but they refused to 

 touch it ; as also sallow and a variety of other plants, even 

 lettuce, which I have never known to be refused by other larvse. 

 I reared a large brood of Arctia fidiginosa on lettuce last year. 

 Finally the Catocala larvse chose some leaves of plum, and have 

 continued to feed on these leaves, steadily refusing all other food. 

 As I have never heard, or read, of larvae of C. nupta feeding on 

 plum, I thought it might be useful to others to know these larvae 

 may be reared on the leaves of that tree. — William Finch, jun. ; 

 Arkwright Street, Nottingham, April 4, 1882. 



Description of the Larva of Scoparia muralis. — During 

 March and April, and even well into May, the larvae of this 

 species may be collected in abundance by stripping off the moss 

 on old walls in this district. They are found living in silken 

 galleries under the moss, a piece of moss and turf two or three 

 inches long often containing quite a cluster of them. Length 

 about half an inch to a little over, and of average bulk. Head 

 the same width, or perhaps very slightlj^ narrower than the 

 2nd segment; it has the lobes rounded, and is — as are also the 

 frontal and anal plates — very highly polished. Body cylindrical 

 and of nearly uniform width, tapering only a very little at the 

 extremities. Segmental divisions well-defined, and these, together 

 with the large raised tubercles, give the body a rather wrinkled 

 appearance. Ground colour dingy ochreous-brown, or in some 

 specimens purplish brown, the head and plates intensely black. 

 A fine brown line, widening at the segmental divisions, extends 

 through the centre of the dorsal area ; a wavy brown stripe along 



